


When The Right One Comes Along

by emmas_storybook



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Neighbors, Seizures, yes this is one of THOSE cliche fics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-11 01:27:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18419990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmas_storybook/pseuds/emmas_storybook
Summary: Modern AU: Killian and Emma are neighbors who occasionally pass in the hallway, when Emma has a seizure and Killian has to take her in. Fluff and a bit of humor ensue, as well as a date that turns into more.





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I was a little bit unsure about posting this as the topic is very personal to me, but if only one person enjoys it that'll be enough for me! Special thanks to @profdanglais for proofreading this!

He had only seen her a few times, really. Every now and then they would pass each other in the hallway, but they never had said more than a simple "Hello". 

 

And now she was in his apartment, quite literally sleeping in his bed.

 

\----------------------------

 

Killian was in a rush to get to work on time before he was bloody fired. His morning had started off with burnt pancakes, and then a spilled coffee all over his clean scrubs. He'd had to change quickly, basically shirt only half-on while he was locking his door. Down the hallway, he spotted his neighbor (well, that's not entirely true- she lived a few doors down) looking extremely frustrated at whatever she was reading on her phone. He only knew a little bit about her, mainly from that time she'd asked him to collect a package for her when she wasn't home. Her name was Emma Swan, which he thought was a particularly odd last name, but still adorable nonetheless. She looked like she had barely gotten any sleep, too. He didn't know her too well, but he knew that the purple bags under her eyes -which looked worse the closer he got- were not normal for her.  

 

Emma had barely slept last night, she'd been up until the sun started to peek through her blinds. And now she'd had to leave for work with a full two hours of sleep in her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her neighbor down the hall, frantically locking his door and rushing towards the elevators. From what she knew about him his name was Killian and he worked in the hospital, judging from the scrubs he wore often. Or he was just trying to make a fashion statement. Really, she wasn't sure. But in the midst of her thoughts, Emma heard a familiar ringing noise in her head and immediately panicked. Not now, not today. This hadn't happened in years. 

 

As Killian approached the elevators, he saw Emma starting to sway in an odd way, and her right leg started to twitch. He knew what was coming from experience in the hospital. The rest seemed to go in slow motion, she fell to the ground before he could reach her and a few seconds later the convulsing had started. She was having a seizure. 

 

As soon as Killian got to her, he checked his watch to time the seizure, and lifted her head up so that he could place his satchel underneath. Once the convulsing had stopped, Killian turned Emma onto her side and checked her airway for any signs of irregular breathing. 

 

And that's how Emma had ended up in his apartment just a mere few minutes later. Killian was surely going to be late to work now, but that wasn't his main concern at the moment. 

 

"Love, can you hear me? Can you tell me your name?" Killian asked softly, kneeling beside the couch where Emma was currently lying. She'd make occasional noises, usually a grunt or moan, but she was still disoriented and not fully conscious.  He rubbed her arm gently, to help calm her down as she came to.

 

Emma slowly opened her eyes, her entire body feeling fatigued and muscles burning like she'd been ran over by a bus. She was fully aware of what had happened, and quite frankly embarrassed that someone (her cute neighbor, at that) had been there to see it. 

 

"You doing alright, love?" 

 

_Great as ever_ , she thought to herself. "Fine. Tired. Where are we?"

 

"We're in my apartment, darling. Your episode lasted nearly three minutes, and then I carried you here. You've been in a postictal state for about fifteen minutes now. Is there anything you need? Water, perhaps? You're probably near dehydrated with all that sweating," Killian smirked, trying to lighten the mood and make Emma feel more comfortable.

 

Emma gave him a weak laugh, "Ew, that's gross. I'm really sorry you had to see that." She paused, "And...I should probably be headed home now. I don't need to burden you any longer. And you're probably late for work, too, right?"

 

Killian shrugged, "'Tis alright, love, your safety was of the utmost importance. And you should stay a little longer to get some rest, i'd be concerned about you all day if you were alone. If you feel more comfortable without me near, you're welcome to lie down in the guest bedroom."

 

_He seriously has to stop with all those endearing words_ , Emma thought to herself. They made her feel things. And Emma Swan did not do feelings. Admittedly, she was drained and didn't want to move, but also didn't want to burden Killian in any way. 

 

"Yeah, actually, that'd be really nice," She sighed, not wanting to admit that she needed help but also knowing that she would most likely fall flat on her face if she didn't have someone steadying her while walking, "And if you don't mind... could you possibly help me to the bed?" 

 

"Of course, love," Killian nodded, "Here, give me your hand." 

 

With that, Killian helped Emma sit up, her head spinning from the sudden movement. She felt his hand at the small of her back, eliciting a barely audible gasp from her. She _really_ wasn't used to this affection, even if it was just a chaste touch. Killian patiently walked her to the guest bedroom, which was just as obnoxiously tidy and organized as the rest of his apartment. 

 

Once she was settled under the covers and had profusely thanked Killian for letting her stay, Emma watched him begin to walk towards the door. Suddenly, he spun on his heel to face her again.

 

"Are you sure you don't need anything else? Water, a snack, cuddles perhaps?" Killian smirked.

 

Emma rolled her eyes and chuckled lightly, "Nice try, bud. I'm good for now though, thanks."

 

"Sure thing, darling," Killian winked, "And if you need anything else, i'll be in the living room." 

 

Emma nodded and gave him a slight smile with the strength she could muster up. She was barely able to hold her eyes open as he left the room and gently closed the door.  Within a few minutes, Emma was in a deep, dreamless sleep. 

 

As the hours rolled on, Killian started to wonder when the lass would wake up. Emma had been sleeping soundly for nearly nine hours, which was to be expected after what her body had gone through. He had been periodically checking in on her, silently cracking the door every so often just to make sure she wasn't showing any prodromes of another seizure. As the time rolled on Killian debated waking her up, not wanting to disturb her rest, but also knowing that she needed to eat. After a few minutes, he decided on the latter. 

 

Killian opened the door slightly and walked over to the bed, sitting down lightly next to Emma's torso as to not abruptly wake her.

 

"Emma, love, it's time to wake up," Killian uttered lightly, not eliciting a response from Emma.

 

"Swan, time to wake up," He tried again, a little louder this time, and with a slight tap to her shoulder. 

 

Emma groaned and slowly opened one eye, peeking out of it with a death glare. So maybe waking the sleeping beast wasn't the best decision, Killian thought to himself. 

 

"What time is it?" Emma mumbled, still peeking out of the one eye. 

 

Killian gave her a soft smile, "It's almost six, you've been asleep for quite a while. Would you fancy some dinner?" 

 

Emma gave a moan of content. "That would be amazing, i'm starving," She paused, shifting herself to sit up, "What do you say to dinner at The Rabbit Hole? It'll be my treat, after all you've done for me today."

 

"Sounds good, treasure," Killian quipped. "And it's no problem, really. I preferred staying here with you to listening to patients who WebMD'd their symptoms anyways," He added with a wink.

 

"Do you wanna maybe walk with me to my apartment so that I can get cleaned up first?" Emma questioned.

 

Killian nodded, and together they walked over to Emma's apartment. He sat on her sofa while she cleaned up in the bathroom, waiting patiently. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye, and looked up to see Emma in a soft pink dress that delectably hugged her form.

 

"You look stunning, Swan," Killian remarked, in awe of her beauty. How she managed to look so gorgeous, even after what she'd gone through, was beyond him.

 

Emma blushed, not exactly sure of that, but accepted the compliment. "You ready?"

 

"Ready. I'm starving," Killian said in a high-pitched voice, playfully mocking her earlier comment. 

 

With that, the two left for their dinner. Soon enough, one dinner turned into weekly dates, weekly dates turned into sleepovers, sleepovers turned into sharing an apartment (Killian's tidy one, thank you very much), and sharing an apartment turned into a ring on Emma's finger. 

 

So maybe the right people do come into your life at the right time. 

 


	2. The Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I did a thingy and wrote a second part to this story! I may be adding more parts, but i’m not 100% sure yet. This is my first shot at a multi-chapter fic, so bear with me :). And shoutout for @profdanglais who beta-d this for me and caught all of my silly mistakes!

After Emma had gotten dressed, the two made their way out to Killian’s car. They’d decided it would be better off if he drove, given the circumstances. The drive to The Rabbit Hole was no more than ten minutes, and most of the ride was spent listening to the radio.

 

Suddenly, Killian interrupted the barely audible music. “Y’know, I’m really trying to play it cool, but I’m truly nervous, love,” he stated with a timid chuckle. 

 

“Oh really? I couldn’t tell at all,” Emma winked, “But it’s all good, I feel the same way.”

 

“Great minds think alike,” Killian smiled, still looking ahead at the road, and slyly snuck his right hand over to her thigh and gave a small squeeze, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Emma.

 

When they arrived at the restaurant, Killian went over to the passenger side and opened the door for Emma. “Milady.” He smiled and took a wry bow.

 

The two made their way in and took a seat at a booth towards the back, each sitting across from the other. Emma wasn’t usually one for those ‘romantic things’, but she couldn’t help feeling a hint of fondness for Killian. Just from one day, she’d learned that he was caring, and had her best interests in mind. He respected her boundaries, and wasn’t turned off by her vulnerable moments that the seizure had caused. Most of the people in her life had left her, but he was different. He genuinely cared. 

 

“Love?” Killian questioned.

 

Emma snapped out of her moment of musing, “Sorry, I was just...thinking,” she gave him an apologetic smile.

 

“About me, I assume?” He smirked

 

“You wish” 

 

As the night went on, the two conversed about various things, learning more about each other. Emma learned that Killian had moved from England with his brother when they were younger, and that he had graduated two years early to go to medical school. He was a nurse in the ICU, so Emma’s suspicions were put to rest; he wasn’t trying to make a fashion statement with those scrubs.

 

Killian learned that Emma had been diagnosed with epilepsy just a few years ago, and that she was still in a trial-and-error process with finding the right medications to control the seizures. They only happened around once a week, usually when she was overly stressed or tired. He also learned that she currently worked at the local bank as a secretary, usually opting to take the bus there instead of driving due to her seizures. 

 

After Emma had gotten Killian to agree to let her pay the bill (post-arguing with him about it for nearly five minutes), the two went out to the car and headed on their way home. 

“Love?” Killian hesitantly questioned. Emma turned her head to look at him and gave him an encouraging nod, silently giving him the go ahead to continue his question.

 

“Would you want to come over to my apartment for a little while longer? I have the day off tomorrow so I have a bit of time to work with,” he added a wink, “But it’s quite alright if you’d prefer me to walk you straight to yours for the night.”

 

Emma smiled, “Of course I’d love to stay for a little bit. I feel like being on your couch might be a little more comfortable when i’m actually conscious and not drooling,” she scoffed. 

 

Once they had made their way up to the hallway, Killian unlocked his door and motioned for Emma to go inside. Emma made her way to his couch, and Killian into the kitchen.

 

“I’m getting a water, love. Would you like anything? Perhaps a cupful of your drool from earlier?” He winked, “Just kidding, but really, is there anything I can get you?”

 

Emma rolled her eyes playfully, “A water too, please. I’d prefer not to drink a bodily fluid unless I’m stranded on a remote island.”

 

Killian grabbed Emma a water and made his way to settle on the couch next to her. He was surprised at how well the night was going, and he was already mesmerized by everything about this woman. She was beautiful, witty, kind, and trusted him while she was vulnerable. He could tell that she had built walls around her heart, but he was willing to be patient. He wanted to be the one to take those walls down, brick by brick. Suddenly, Killian’s thoughts were interrupted by a light touch to his thigh. 

 

“Hey, do you wanna see what’s on Netflix, maybe watch a movie?”

 

“Of course, that’d be wonderful. Let me turn the tv on first.”

 

After what seemed like hours of debating and indecisiveness between the two of them, they finally made a mutual decision to watch Mama Mia (Okay, maybe not a mutual decision. More like Emma giving in to Killian insisting they watch it). About halfway through the movie, Killian heard a snore escape from Emma. He turned to look at her, and sure enough, she was dead asleep. Killian chuckled to himself, and grabbed one of his throw blankets from the back of the couch, and tucked her in. As silently as he could manage, Killian turned off the movie and made his way to his bedroom, double checking that the lamp in the living room was left on to give her a nightlight. Once he had thrown on PJs and crawled into bed, he smiled to himself. Today had been a good day, and he was already smitten with Emma Swan. 

 

\----------------------------

 

Emma woke up to the sun peeking through her blinds. Which definitely weren’t her blinds. She quickly sat up and looked around. Soon enough, she realized that she must have fallen asleep on Killian during their movie. He’d obviously tucked her in and conveniently plugged in her phone for her.  _ Always a gentleman,  _ his earlier words rang in her ear. 

 

“Ah, I see you’re awake, love. Sleep well?”

 

Emma jumped up from the couch, startled, only to find Killian smiling at her from the kitchen.  _ So he’s an early riser _ , she thought to herself.

 

“Damn you scared me,” she chuckled, “But yes, very. Thanks for letting me stay the night. And tucking me in,” She added with a wink.

 

“Care for some breakfast? I can make us some pancakes if you care for those?”

 

“Yeah, that sounds great,” Emma chimed, and made her way towards the kitchen. Despite her tiredness and post-sleep look, Emma assisted Killian with making their breakfast. Once they had eaten and cleaned up the dishes, Emma grabbed her stuff from the table in the living room.

 

“I really should get going now, but I had a really great time. Other than the having-a-seizure part, but you get what I mean.” 

 

Killian smiled, “Of course love. I’m glad you enjoyed our time together.”

 

Emma leaned over and gave Killian a chaste kiss on the cheek, making him blush. 

 

“See you soon, Killian,” Emma gave him a sultry smile, letting his door close behind her. Just a few minutes after she’d gotten settled in her apartment, she received a message on her phone.

 

_ See you for a second date this weekend?  _


End file.
